Subscribing to auto magazines like TopGear has its advantages. I can keep postponing my car purchase decision forever. In each issue they feature some of the latest and most expensive cars, with all cool features, so that I can feel “Great, I want these features in my car” and then look at the price tag and decide “ok, can’t afford it at present, let me buy later”
If you’re not aware of what’s new and cool in auto industry, this post briefs you on the same. Information sourced primarily from recent issues of topgear…
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, Koenigsegg, Porsche are all here in India now, selling their multi crore cars. These supercars look beautiful and are superfast, but are more of a showpiece than practical vehicles for Indian roads. Their 500+ horses (Koenigsegg has 1000+) will seldom be utilized to full. With pothole and spead breaker filled Indian roads, these cars are not for everyday commute, but their buyers would buy them for status and not really for everyday use.
What interests me more is the Audis and BMWs, who’re adding more and more equipment in their cars. This post about these features:
1. Audi A8L 3.0TDi’s flexible suspension: This 80 lakh car comes with a flexible suspension, which lifts the car up or lower. Setting it to comfort will lift the car by about 4.7 inches or about 120mm, providing additional cushion and smoother ride. Setting to Dynamic will lower it by an inch, but giving better riding control. Auto will allow the computer to decide appropriate suspension. Very cool.
2. Night vision: Both Audi A8L 3.0TDI and BMW 650i are equipped with night vision. During a dark night, you wish to escape from home without turning the light on, or dodge an enemy who might be following you or say your headlights stop working, night vision with pedestrian focus can come to your rescue.
3. Massaging seats are history. Ventilated seats are new in thing- they circulate fresh air between the seat and your body…
5. Seat and steering movements and user position preference memory: Seats move backward and steering tilts upwards to let you move your (assumedly fat) body into the car. Once you are seated, seats will move back to the exact position as selected in your preference memory.
6. Door Hydraulics: People used to have little exercise closing the door (assuming there’s no support staff to do that for you). Modern cars have taken that away as well. Doors are provided with hydraulic assistance- you only have to gently pull the door towards you and hydraulics will close it for you.
7. Park Assist: Self parking cars: Cars park themselves.
Ok, that’s some of the new features in current day luxury saloons. But I have a wishlist. I’ll buy my Audi or BMW only after they implement these features (and other features I can think of in the meanwhile)
Wish item 1: Treadmill under the leg. Ever since the automatic has arrived, drivers legs have very little work. Left leg anyway has no work, while right leg also has little work, thanks to cruise control. So, in order to do some exercise, I’d like a treadmill in my car, under driver’s legs. This way, I can do some walking, while driving
Wish item 2: Steam bathing seats: Massaging and ventilation is all fine.. How about a hot steam bath right in my seat? You need to dream before you can realize. I’ll do the dreaming and let Audi engineers do the realization bit.
Wish item 3: Heat sinking device: Night vision is fine. But what if enemy fires a heat seeking Stinger missile towards my car? I need a dampener which can eliminate all heat and noise output of the car. An escape pod will be nice too- can eject in it, while the car is pushed off the cliff.
Wish item 4: interceptor locator advise: What is the point buying a one crore car capable of several hundred kms an hour and having to drive it under 80kmph? (Car’s speed is already electronically limited to 250kmph) With all the technology, it should be possible for the car to identify where exactly police people are standing with their interceptor vehicles and automatically slowdown in front of them.
Wish item 5: Long jump capability: If only car’s horizontal speed can be converted into vertical thrust and the car can leap in air few meters vertically and few hundred meters horizontally, we can smoothly cover humps and potholes…
Wish item 6: Secondary engine: AN225 jumbo jet has 6 engines. Why should a car have only one? What if it fails? There should be secondary engine in the back (or in the middle, who cares, as long as my legroom and boot space is not compromised)
Wish item 6: Auto argument assist: Cars parking on their own is fine. What we need in India is a car which can fight with the fellow motorist, in case of a scratch or hit. Car should be able to shout in loud decibel and silence the other person.
Audi and BMW: Are you listening?
If you’re not aware of what’s new and cool in auto industry, this post briefs you on the same. Information sourced primarily from recent issues of topgear…
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, Koenigsegg, Porsche are all here in India now, selling their multi crore cars. These supercars look beautiful and are superfast, but are more of a showpiece than practical vehicles for Indian roads. Their 500+ horses (Koenigsegg has 1000+) will seldom be utilized to full. With pothole and spead breaker filled Indian roads, these cars are not for everyday commute, but their buyers would buy them for status and not really for everyday use.
What interests me more is the Audis and BMWs, who’re adding more and more equipment in their cars. This post about these features:
1. Audi A8L 3.0TDi’s flexible suspension: This 80 lakh car comes with a flexible suspension, which lifts the car up or lower. Setting it to comfort will lift the car by about 4.7 inches or about 120mm, providing additional cushion and smoother ride. Setting to Dynamic will lower it by an inch, but giving better riding control. Auto will allow the computer to decide appropriate suspension. Very cool.
2. Night vision: Both Audi A8L 3.0TDI and BMW 650i are equipped with night vision. During a dark night, you wish to escape from home without turning the light on, or dodge an enemy who might be following you or say your headlights stop working, night vision with pedestrian focus can come to your rescue.
3. Massaging seats are history. Ventilated seats are new in thing- they circulate fresh air between the seat and your body…
5. Seat and steering movements and user position preference memory: Seats move backward and steering tilts upwards to let you move your (assumedly fat) body into the car. Once you are seated, seats will move back to the exact position as selected in your preference memory.
6. Door Hydraulics: People used to have little exercise closing the door (assuming there’s no support staff to do that for you). Modern cars have taken that away as well. Doors are provided with hydraulic assistance- you only have to gently pull the door towards you and hydraulics will close it for you.
7. Park Assist: Self parking cars: Cars park themselves.
Ok, that’s some of the new features in current day luxury saloons. But I have a wishlist. I’ll buy my Audi or BMW only after they implement these features (and other features I can think of in the meanwhile)
Wish item 1: Treadmill under the leg. Ever since the automatic has arrived, drivers legs have very little work. Left leg anyway has no work, while right leg also has little work, thanks to cruise control. So, in order to do some exercise, I’d like a treadmill in my car, under driver’s legs. This way, I can do some walking, while driving
Wish item 2: Steam bathing seats: Massaging and ventilation is all fine.. How about a hot steam bath right in my seat? You need to dream before you can realize. I’ll do the dreaming and let Audi engineers do the realization bit.
Wish item 3: Heat sinking device: Night vision is fine. But what if enemy fires a heat seeking Stinger missile towards my car? I need a dampener which can eliminate all heat and noise output of the car. An escape pod will be nice too- can eject in it, while the car is pushed off the cliff.
Wish item 4: interceptor locator advise: What is the point buying a one crore car capable of several hundred kms an hour and having to drive it under 80kmph? (Car’s speed is already electronically limited to 250kmph) With all the technology, it should be possible for the car to identify where exactly police people are standing with their interceptor vehicles and automatically slowdown in front of them.
Wish item 5: Long jump capability: If only car’s horizontal speed can be converted into vertical thrust and the car can leap in air few meters vertically and few hundred meters horizontally, we can smoothly cover humps and potholes…
Wish item 6: Secondary engine: AN225 jumbo jet has 6 engines. Why should a car have only one? What if it fails? There should be secondary engine in the back (or in the middle, who cares, as long as my legroom and boot space is not compromised)
Wish item 6: Auto argument assist: Cars parking on their own is fine. What we need in India is a car which can fight with the fellow motorist, in case of a scratch or hit. Car should be able to shout in loud decibel and silence the other person.
Audi and BMW: Are you listening?
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